Kentucky bluegrass responses to mowing practice and nitrogen fertility management

The practice of leaving clippings on the lawn recycles nutrients and reduce s yard-waste but the residue of unsightly clippings deters widespread adopt ion. An experiment was conducted on a Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) turf to evaluate mowing practice in combination with various fertilizer ty pes and application rates. The main objective was to minimize clipping yiel d while achieving acceptable turfgrass quality. The return of clippings, as compared to clipping removal, was associated with fewer weeds and a darker green more luxuriant turf. Furthermore, the benefits of clipping return we re achieved using half (97.6 kg ha(-1) yr(-1)) as much N as is typically ap plied (195.2 kg ha(-1) yr(-1)) for high maintenance turf. Slow-release N fe rtilizers were shown to reduce spring clipping yield and thereby make the p ractice of clipping return a more acceptable mowing practice.